Mr. Speaker, let me address the member opposite's concerns, particularly about costs. He was looking for answers. He may not like them, but here they are.
The fact of the matter is that spending on the project has not surged. The recently completed move of old age security onto the Cúram platform was delivered as planned and under budget. Let me say that again: It was delivered as planned and under budget. Specifically, the completed OAS project cost $633 million, below the initial estimated $674-million project cost from 2023.
What has increased is the estimate of the total cost to complete this once-in-a-generation transformation. What we are talking about is the full transformation of benefits for all of OAS, employment insurance and CPP, including modernizing all of ESDC's call centres. It is not the amount spent. That is $1.8 billion as of this past December.
This transformation is being undertaken in a responsible, transparent manner, with concern for all those involved. So far, 7.7 million seniors have received their benefits on time and accurately. We are making progress with those who have had issues. Many of them are in paper form. We are correcting those errors. We are working with them.
We trust that this is going to be a system that is suitable for the next generation of Canadians.